Beauty 1993 brings a rainbow close enough for us to touch, together with a fine mist falling gently on our skin and the smell of water. Normally mythical or distant in the landscape, these sensory phenomena are no longer separate from us; here they gently unfurl as we move into the gallery.

Olafur Eliasson first made Beauty very simply as an art student in a Copenhagen garage, using a light and punctured hose. This installation demonstrates his long interest in perception and the importance of our experience as visitors. He believes this is central to the ‘life’ of art. We each have a role in bringing Beauty into being: for Eliasson, we are vital ‘co-producers’ of the artwork.

Walk towards the light and mist, slowly extending your senses. Feel the water. For each of us the experience will be unique. Why? Our height, the angle of the light and drift of the mist all affect what we see. We will each experience Beauty differently, even when we do so together.

Feature image: Olafur Eliasson / Beauty 1993, installed at GOMA for 'Presence', December 2025 / Spotlight, water, nozzles, wood, hose, pump / Purchased 2025. The Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Charitable Trust / Collection: The Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Charitable Trust, QAGOMA / © 1993 Olafur Eliasson / Photograph: N Umek, QAGOMA